Container tapping device



April 115, 1958 H. sTELMA 2,330,611

` CONTAINER TAPP'ING DEVICEl Filed Aug. l1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15,1958 H. s'rELMA 2,830,611

CONTAINER TAPPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HAP@ Y STH/14A April 15, 1958 H. sTELMA 2,830,511

CONTAINER TAPPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1l, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HAPPY $760144 Arme/wksrUnited States Patent O CONTAINER TAPPING DEVICE Harry Stelma, Parma Heights, Ohio, assignor to Champion Safe Tap Co., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 11, 1954, Serial N o. 449,191

Claims. (Cl. 11W- 322) The present invention relates, as indicated, to container tapping devices and, more particularly, to an improved device of this nature adapted to be used safely and elflciently to tap containers in which iluid is maintained under pressure.

My improved tap is intended principally for use in withdrawing beer from the usual kegs in which the beverage is transported and stored and will, accordingly, be considered and described in detail in connection with such an application thereof. As is well-known, considerable care must be exercised in the common p ractice of tapping a beer keg by using the draft tube to force the bung into the keg, since the resultant release of pressure may tear the tube from the users hands and cause body injury. The tapping device of my invention includes means preventative of such blowing of the draft tube.

The public dispensing of beer,.moreover, must be carried out under prescribed sanitary conditions and, in many localities, draft apparatus in actual use is subjected to periodic inspection. This requires the tube to be completely withdrawn for examination from the full or partially filled keg with which it is being used and care must be taken to insure that dirt and the like does not enter the keg in the process. Valve mechanism is, accordingly, provided inV my tap which efliciently seals the keg opening as the tube is withdrawn, whether for inspection, replacement, permanent removal when the keg is exhausted, or any other purpose.

An ordinary draft tube removed from a keg contains a certain amount ofv beer, and it is a common experience to spill the same over the floor and, of course, waste this quantity of the beverage. A further object of my invention is to provide such a tube improved by being provided with means operative automatically and'instantly to seal the intake end of the tube when thus withdrawn.

An additional object is to provide a unitary tapping device in which rod-gripping mechanism and the valve structure are combined, thereby to obviate separate attachment of these assemblies to the keg.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a valve having normally engaged lips of novel design adapted to pass a tubular element and tightly to seal the valve in the absence of such element.

Another object is to provide an improved seal for use with such a valve which forms a fluid-tight seal between the valve end opposite the lips thereof and the outer surface of the element inserted therethrough.

Other objects. and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the` claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various Ways in whichl the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a beer keg equipped with a tapping device in accordance with one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a valve iitting I provide at the inner or intake end of the draft tube mounted by the tap;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the tap proper with the outer walls and inner parts thereof sectioned in obvious manner to illustrate most clearly the mechanical cooperation of the latter;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of my valve and seal assembly as the same receives the draft tube; Fig. 5 is a top view of a spring assembly which forms a part of my valve structure;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of such spring assembly;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a top View of the body of the valve;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of such valve body;

Fig. l0 is an end elevational view of the valve body; and

Fig. ll is a sectional view of a slightly modied form of the invention, showing the operative association thereof with the keg.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and especially to Fig. l, reference numeral 1 designates a metal beer keg of usual type adapted to have the beer removed therefrom through a bunghole or aperture provided in the head 2. In general assembly the tapping device, indicated at 3, is attached to the head Zand mounts a draft rod 4 extending therethrough and through the opening into the keg. The outer end of the draft rod is connected by suitable conduit means to conventional cooling coils and a dispensing spigot, not shown. Gas under pressure issupplied through a hose S and conducted through the tapping device to the interior of the keg.`

At the inner end of the draft rod, I provide a fitting 6 having an outer head 7 in which a number of radial passages 8 are provided, such passages communicating commonly centrally of the head and at such point with an axial inwardly extending passage 9. A tubular extension 10 projects inwardly from the head and is threaded externally at 11 for engagement with threads formed on the inner wall of the draft tube, thereby removably to attach the fitting to the latter. The axial channel or passage 9 communicates with lthe extension so that beer may llow through the passages 8 and 9 intothe tube. A check valve in the form of a collapsed rubber sleeve 12 is stretched over the reduced inner end 13 of the extension and firmly held thereon by means of a spring clip 1`4.

lt will be clear that check valve 12 will permit the beer under pressure to ow therethrough into the tube, but will prevent any reverse ow. Accordingly, when the tube is withdrawn from the keg, any beer contained therein is sealed by the valve and cannot run freely from the tube.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the form of the invention there illustrated is a unitary attachment comprising a cylindrical jacket 15 having an annular flange dening an opening 16 at its lower, or operatively inner end and lugs, one of which is shown at 1'7, are provided at such opening to engage with the keg head at the aperture of the latter in the manner of a bayonet type of joint. The upper end of the jacket is internally threaded at 18, and at one side there is provided a slot 19 for a purpose to be described.

A body washer 20 of'rubber or other suitable resilient material is disposed in the inner end portion of the jacket 15 to seal the joint of the jacket with the head of the keg. A- generally cylindrical valve receiver 21 is disposed in the jacket with the upper end portions thereof being ice inlet valve is conventional and includes, at its free end,

a nipple 29 adapted to receive a hose from a suitable source of gas under pressure and a pressure release in the form of a standard bleeder valve 30. Gas under pressure supplied through the valve is, therefore, directed to chamber 31 in the receiver and is conducted into the keg through the inner end opening of the same.

Located in the chamber 31 is a valve assembly indicated generally at 32 which comprises a hollow body of resilient material 33, having an upper flange .'55, and a metallic spring assembly 34 partially embedded therein. Flange 35 has an inclined external wall 36 seated upon shoulder surface 24 of the receiver. The complete valve assembly will be described in detail hereinbelow and, for the present, it will sul-lice to state that the valve has a normally closed inner end openable for passage of the tube therethrough and operative to seal chamber 31 in the absence of the tube.

Removably inserted in the upper end of the valve body is a seal 37 preferably made of rubber. This seal is in the form of a sleeve having a ange 38 at its outer end which overlies ange 35 of the valve in stepped relation, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4, with the body of the seal being disposed interiorly of the outer end portion of the valve. The central opening of the seal is of variable diameter, with the outer end portion 40 thereof being of greater diameter than that of the tube and the inner end portion 41 of such diameter as to engage the outer tube surface and form a Huid-tight seal therewith. The extreme inner end 42 of the seal abuts a shoulder 43 formed in the valve passage.

In the act of inserting the tube, the same first passes through seal 37, thereby to seal the outer end of the valve and the tube wall, and then, with continued feeding, forces the valve inner end to open. As will appear later, this opening of the valve permits gas to pass through such end around the outside of the tube. Seal 37, however, prevents escape of the gas from the valve body.

Valve 32 and seal 37 are held lirmly in place and in engaged relation by means of a hollow cylindrical member 44 which is threaded at its inner end into the receiver 21 to bear at such end against the upper surface of the seal. Member 44 is provided with an outwardly directed flange 45 adjacent its inner end and an outer reduced end portion 46, threaded externally as indicated at 47. At the point of reduction, the member wall forms an external shoulder 48 and an internal seat 49.

A wing nut 50 is provided releasably to secure member 44 in the jacket by means of an externally threaded collar 51 engaged in the internally threaded outer end 18 of the jacket. End 52 of the collar overlies flange 45 of member 44, while the central ring 53 of the nut overlies the shoulder 48. It will be obvious that threading of the wing nut forces member 44 inwardly relative to the jacket. Secured to the outer end of this member is a cap-holding element 54 engaged with threads 47 of the former and having an outwardly tapering conical inner wall 55.

' Attached to element 54, for limited axial reciprocation, is

a cap 56 having a knurled peripheral portion 57, an outer end wall 58 with a central opening 59 therein, and a slot 60 in the side wall thereof. Element 54 is engaged with the cap by means of a screw threaded into the former and having a head 61 located in slot 60 of the latter. Accordingly, axial movement of the two parts is limited by engagement of the screw head with the respective slot ends.

Seated at one end on the internal seat portion 49 of member 44 is a coil spring 62 which mounts at its other and outer end two similar grips or jaws 63. These jaws are normally biased by spring 62 to a closed or gripping condition in which they tightly seize the outer surface of the draft tube as mounted in the device. The mechanism is, therefore, normally in tube locking condition and must be released for insertion and feed of the tube therethrough. Such release is accomplished by pressing down on cap 56, which causes the jaws 63 to move inwardly against the spring action to an enlarged section of the tapered bore 55 of the cap-holding element 54. When held in this condition, the jaws can move slightly apart to free the tube or permit insertion thereof, as the case may be. After the tube has been fed through the device, the cap is released and the jaws are returned automatically by the spring to the gripping condition thereof.

Corning now to the specific construction of my improved vaive, the same comprises, as indicated earlier, a. hollow body of resilient material 33 and a spring assembly 34 partially embedded therein. The body may be made of natural or synthetic rubber or other synthetic material of comparable properties. In the preferred manufacture, the resilient body is molded about the firstconstructed and arranged spring assembly and, therefore, the latter will be rst described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7.

The spring assembly comprises a top in the form of a flat ring 64 and an integral sleeve 65, the latter being of relatively short extent. Two corresponding spring members, indicated generally by reference numeral 66,

' are attached rigidly to the ring, each member including a tlat semi-circular upper strip which overlies one half of the ring 64 and is spot welded thereto. Each member 66 further includes, as integral structure, a relatively wide spring arm 68 extending centrally from the top strip of the same, and the two such arms of the ymembers are convergent over their major extent as shown clearly in Fig. 6. Corresponding inwardly directed shoulders 69 of relatively slight inclination are formed in the arms 68 and the free end portions 70 of the members below such shoulders are slightly offset outwardly in substantiallyl parallel relation.

Two side arms 71 of arcuate section form additional parts of each spring member 66 and these extend substantially vertically upwardly from the respective sides of the end portion 70, which is elongated laterally relative to the center spring arm 68. Side arms 71 0f the two spring members are arranged in opposed pairs at the sides of the spring assembly, and center tabs 72 are provided at the extreme lower ends of the members. The thus constructed spring assembly is self-supporting and may, therefore, be much more easily handled in the molding apparatus than if comprised of separate sections.

The resilient body 33 of the valve has been described in the foregoing as being hollow, having a flange 35 at one end with which the flange of seal 37 nests, and provided with an inner shoulder 43 engaged by the inner end of the seal. The outer or ange end portion of the body which receives the seal is cylindrical, and protruding therefrom is a tubular extension 73 formed of substantially parallel walls 74, contiguous walls 75 having exterior surfaces which converge toward the inner end, and a relatively small wall 76 at such end. In general exterior appearance, the extension is, therefore, of wedgeshape. Interiorly, the walls dene a chamber 77 of generally square cross-section communicating with the opening in the cylindrical body portion at its outer end and at its inner end being normally closed by sharply inwardly convergent surfaces 78 of walls 7S and end wall 76, a slot 79 reducing the thickness of the latter. An external tab 80 is formed at the end of the extension, projecting outwardly from wall 76.

Side walls 74 and end wall 76, including tabv 80, are

egss'ogen sectioned by a continuous slit extending centrally of the end wall and around such sides for a predetermined distance in the same plane. The slit thus forms normally engaged lips having U-shaped contact surfaces, the end lip portions being indicated at 81 and the side portions at 82. These lips are separable to pass the draft tube 4 as illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be seen that the lip arrangement, comprising as it does side portions, obviates any need for Haring the body laterally to accommodate the necessary separation for the tube passage, this last expedient being necessary where only the end Wall is slit.

The manner in which the spring assembly is combined With the resilient valve body will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 4, and, as there shown, the ring 64 with the upper portions of spring members 66 attached thereto as de scribed is embedded in the ange 35 of the body. The solid ring thus prevents collapse of the outer end of the body. The initially convergent sections of arms 68 arel embedded respectively in walls 75 of the body extension, with shoulders 69 of these arms overlying the inner surfaces 78 of such walls. End portions.70 of the spring members are embedded in the same walls at the respective sides of the slot 79, and spring tabs 72 are engaged with the split sections of the body tab 80. The convergent arms 6d, therefore, yieldably urge the end portions 81 of the lips into engagement in their normally closed condition. Arms 71 vare embedded in the side portions 82 of the lips with which they are respectively associated so that the opposed pairs of the same bias the lip sides to their normal engaged relation. The spring assembly is thereby operative over substantially the entire extent of the lips and insures a tight seal in the closed condition of the valve. are metallic and shoulder portions'69 lthus provide Awearresistant skid surfaces for the end of the draft tube when inserted in the valve to protect the overlain shoulders of the resilient body.

The structurethus far described combines the valve,` seal, and tube-seizing mechanism in a unitary'attachment which does not require any special valveor seal structure to be incorporated separately in the kegs. However, the principles of the invention are adaptable to this latter type of construction, and I have'shown a modification of this l nature in Fig. 11.

In thisembodiment, the rim of the keg top is indicated at 33, while the top Wall 84 is shown depressed centrally and provided with an aperture 85 for reecption of the tap structure. A hollow internaltting 86, having an inner seat S7 for the valve 32 and seal 37', both as previously described, is arranged with its upper end abutting the keg top around the aperture therein. Fitting 86 is internally-threaded at its upper end and receives a cooperable external fitting 8S, the inner end portion of which is threaded into the first fitting. The outer fitting` has a flange 89 which. overlies the keg top in opposition to the adjacent end of the inner fitting, and it will be clear that threading of the two grips the keg top firmly therebetween. Outer end portion 94B of fitting 88' is reduced and externally threaded to receive the cap-holding element 54 with cap 56' mounted thereon as described in the first form of' the invention. Spring 62 is supported at one end on seat 91 of fitting 88 and at its other end is engaged with the jaws 63', likewise as set forth earlier. A spring retainer 92 is positioned between the jaws and the upper end of the spring, and it will be understood that a similar member may be provided in the Fig. 3 assembly. The valve, seal and tube-gripping members of this further form of the invention are operative in the same manner as in such assembly.

Other modes of' applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details" described, provided the features stated in any of As indicated earlier, spring members 66.

5 the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a body of resilient material formed with walls defining a chamber therein normally closed at one end of said body and open at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned by a continuous slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of a siphon tube completely through said body, spring means engaged with the thus formed separable body portions operative yieldably to hold the same tightly in their normal contacting relation, and a separately formed seal removably received in the normally open end of said valve -body adapted by engagement with such Siphon tube to form a timid-tight seal thereabout.

2. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a body of resilient material formed with Walls defining a chamber therein normally closed at one end of said body and open at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned by a continuous slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance insubstantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of a siphon tube completely through said body, first spring means acting on the thus formed separable body portions at the respective end face sections thereof operative to urge such sections toward one another in their engaged relation, and second spring means` engaged with the side face sections of such separable body portions operative yieldablyxto hold such side face sections tightly in contact.

3. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a body of resilient material having a continuous flange at one end thereof and walls extending from such flanged end defining a chamber normally open at the ange end and closed at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned by a continuons slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of an element completely through said body, and a spring assembly operative yieldably to hold the thus formed body end portions tightly in their normal engaged relatiomsaid spring assembly comprising a solid ring and a pair of spring arms ailxcd to and extending convergently from generally diametrically opposite regions of said ring, said ring being embedded in the flange of said body and the free ends of said arms being engaged respectively with the end face sections of the separable body portions, thereby to urge such sections toward one another.

4. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a'body of resilient material having a continuous flange at one end thereof and walls extending from such flanged end defining a chamber normally open at the flange end and closed at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned by a continuous slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of an element completely through said body, and a spring assembly operative yieldably to hold the thus formed body end portions tightly in their normal engaged relation, saidspring assembly comprising a solid ring and a pair of convergent spring arms affixed to and extending from generally diametrically opposite regions of said ring, the two spring arms havassoci.;

ing corresponding inwardly directed shoulder portions of relatively slight inclination and closely-spaced substantially parallel terminal portions, said ring being embedded in the ange of said body and such terminal portions of said spring arms respectively embedded in the end -face sections of the separable portions of said body, the spring arm shoulder portions respectively overlying the inner end wall sections of said body which define the normally closed end of the chamber therein, thereby to provide skid surfaces for an element inserted in the llanged body end and forced through the separable body portions.

S. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a body of resilient material having a continuous flange at one end thereof and walls extending from such anged end delining a chamber normally open at the ilange end and closed at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned Iby a continuous slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of an element completely through said body, and a spring assembly operative yieldably to hold the thus formed body end portions tightly in their normal engaged relation, said spring assembly comprising a solid ring and a pair of spring members aflixed to and extending from generally diametrically opposite regions of said ring, each such spring member having three arms commonly joined at the end lof. the member removed from said ring with the middle arm thereof secured at the other end to the ring, the middle arms of said members being convergent and the corresponding side arms disposed in generally parallel opposition, said ring being embedded in the ilange of said body, the free ends of said spring members in the respective end face sections of the separable body portions, and the side arms of said members in the side faces of the respectively associated body portions, whereby both the ends and sides of the separable body portions are acted on by said spring assembly.

6. A valve comprising a hollow body of resilient material of general wedge-shape open at the larger end thereof and having normally engaged lips formed at the smaller end, said lips extending across the smaller end face and for a predetermined distance around substantially parallel sides of the body, the normally engaged lip surfaces being substantially planar and of general U-shape, oppositely acting spring members engaged with the end portions of said lip operative yieldably to hold the same tightly in contact, and further spring members normally holding the side portions of said lips tightly engaged.

7. A device for use in tapping containers comprising a valve adapted to be mounted on such container and to have a tube passed therethrough into the container for withdrawal of the latters contents, said valve including a body of resilient material having a .flange at its outer end and being provided with a passage for the tube which is normally sealed by lips formed at the inner end of the body, feeding of the tube through the valve forcing such lips apart, and a seal in the general form of a resilient sleeve having a flange at one end, the body of said seal being removably disposed in the normally open end portion of the valve with the seal ange overlying the ange of the valve, said seal being adapted to engage about the tube when the latter is inserted therein to form a fluidtight seal between the tube and the outer end of the valve.

8. A device for use in tapping containers comprising a valve adapted to be mounted on such container and to have a tube passed therethrough into the container for withdrawal of the latters contents, said valve comprising a hollow body of resilient material having a cylindrical outer end portion and a generally wedge-shaped extension, the smaller end of the latter being at the inner valve end and provided with normally engaged lips which extend across the inner end face and for a predetermined distance around the non-converging sides of such extension,

the outer free end of such cylindrical portion having an outwardly directed ange, and a seal in the form of a resilient sleeve having a ilange at one end, the body of said seal being removably disposed in the cylindrical portion of the valve body with the seal flange overlying the flange of the valve, said seal being adapted to engage about the tube when the latter is insertedin the outer end of the valve to form a Huid-tight seal therebetween, continued feeding of the tube forcing such lips apart for complete passage of the same through the valve.

9. A container tapping device comprising hollow support means adapted to be attached to such container at an opening therein and to mount a siphon tube passed therethrough into the container, a valve in said support through which such tube passes provided with normally engaged lips operative to seal the inner valve end in the absence of the tube, a resilient seal inserted in the outer valve end operative by engagement with the tube to form a huid-tight seal between the same and such valve end, and spring-loaded tube seizure means carried by said support means operative normally rmly to grip the tube, said tube seizure means being manually actuatable to a non-gripping position so that the tube may be fed through the same and automatically returning to the gripping position when released.

10. A container tapping device comprising a housing adapted to be mounted on a container at an opening in the wall thereof, a valve positioned within said housing and operative normally to seal the interior of the same in communication with the container opening, said valve being in the form of a hollow body of resilient material and of general wedge-shape with normally engaged lips at the smaller end of the body, such lips extending across this end face and around the sides of the body a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, the valve being adapted to pass a siphon tube inserted through the housing into the container for the purpose of removal of the contents of the latter, and spring-loaded jaws within the housing operative normally lirmly to grip such siphon tube, said jaws being manually actuatable to a non-gripping position so that the tube may be fed therethrough and automatically returning to the gripping position when released.

11. A unitary container tapping device comprising a housing adapted to be attached to such container at an opening therein and to mount a siphon tube passed through the same into the container, a valve in said housing through which such tube passes in the form of a hollow body of resilient material of general wedge shape, said body having normally engaged lips at its smaller end which extend across such end and around the sides of the body in substantially the same plane, the valve being op erative to seal the housing in the absence of the siphon tube, a resilient seal inserted in the outer valve end operative by engagement with the tube to form a fluid-tight seal between the same and the Avalve at such end, and spring-loaded jaws carried by the housing operative normally rmly to grip the siphon tube, such jaws being manually actuatable to a non-gripping position so that the tube may be fed therethrough and automatically returning to the gripping position when released.

12. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a hollow body of resilient material of general wedge shape open at the larger end thereof and having normally engaged lips formed at the smaller end, said lips extending across the smaller end face and for a predetermined distance around the substantially parallel sides of the body, the normally engaged lip surfaces being substantially planar and of general U-shape, oppositely acting spring members engaged with the end portions of said lips operatively yieldably to hold the same tightly in contacting relation, further spring members normally holding the side portions of said lips tightly engaged, the normally closed valve being openable for passage ot a siphon tube therethrough, and a separately formed seal of resilient material removably received in the normally open and larger end of said valve operative to engage such tube and form a fluid-tight seal between the same and the valve body.

13. In a container tapping device, a valve comprising a body of resilient material having a continuous flange at one end thereof and walls extending from such anged end defining a chamber normally open at the ange end and closed at the other end, the normally closed end face and contiguous opposite side faces of said body being sectioned by a continuous slit extending across such end face and around such side faces for a predetermined distance in substantially the same plane, thereby to form separable normally engaged end portions which may be moved apart for passage of an element completely through said body, a spring assembly operative yieldably to hold the thus formed body end portions tightly in their normal engaged relation, said spring assembly comprising a solid ring and a pair of spring arms affixed to and extending convergently from f generally diametrically opposite regions of said ring, said ring being embedded in the ange of said body and the free ends of said arms being engaged respectively with the end face sections of the separable body portions, thereby to urge such sections toward one another, and a separately formed seal of resilient material removably received within the normally opened flanged end of the valve body, said seal being constructed and operative to engage a siphon tube passed through the valve and thereby elect a Huid-tight seal between the two.

14. A tapping device for containers comprising a valve and a tube, said valve including a body of resilient material having a passageway therethrough for removably receiving the tube, a flange at the outer end of the lbody and lips at the inner end thereof which normally seal the passageway, said lips being forced apart by inserting the tube through the passageway, and a seal means forming a fluid-type seal between the tube and the outer end of the valve when the tube is inserted into the passageway, said seal means comprising `a body in the general form of a resilient sleeve having a flange at one end thereof, said seal being removably disposed in the outer end of the valve with the seal ange overlying the valve ange.

15. The structure as set forth in claim 14 together with a check valve at the inner end of the tube, said check valve being operable to permit the passage of a fluid into the tube only.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 156,908 Brock Nov. 17, 1874 189,795 Schultz Apr. 17, 1877 584,091 Leidich June 8, 1897 1,251,281 Price Dec. 25, 1917 2,173,529 Beecher Sept. 19, 1939 2,328,948 Bourke Sept. 7, 1943 2,576,192 Pozm'k Nov. 27, 1951 

